School History Trip To Moscow

Scene of grand military parades during the Soviet era, Red Square is Moscow’s bustling centre. Visitors here can admire Lenin’s tomb where he has lain in state in a colourful mausoleum since his death in 1924. Red Square is also home to the whimsical, onion-domed St Basil’s Cathedral -an amazing feat of religious architecture commissioned by Ivan the Terrible in 1552 and now housing a museum.

Home of Tsars and Commissars alike and the official residence of Russia’s President, the Kremlin has been at the centre of Russian history since the 15th century. This ornate fortified complex includes five palaces, four cathedrals and the enclosing Kremlin Wall with Kremlin towers. Students can see where figures such as Lenin lived and appreciate the importance of decisions taken here for world history.

Take a guided tour of Moscow’s sprawling Metro system, an attraction in its own right. Each station was conceived by a different designer, using bronze, crystal and mosaic. The Metro is a state-owned enterprise. Its total length is 312.9km and consists of 12 lines, which are coded by colour, and 188 stations. The average daily passenger traffic is 7m people.

This flamboyant neoclassical cathedral was built between 1839 and 1883 as a memorial to the Russian troops who fell fighting Napoleon’s forces. It is the tallest Orthodox Church in the world, with architecture full of symbolism. It was blown up in 1931 under Stalin, and the then resurrected in 1997 from the ruins at a cost of more than $150m USD.

Gorky Park was opened in 1928 and is set in Krymsky Val by the Moskva River. In the post-Soviet era it hosted an amusement park, which over the years fell into disrepair. In 2011 the amusement rides were pulled down and the park redeveloped. It is now a vibrant, eco-friendly recreational zone for sport, with public art projects and an open–air cinema.

Enjoy the spectacle of this great Moscow institution. Students can marvel at Russian circus traditions from clowning to juggling, acrobatics, contortion, and animal acts – especially those involving bears. The acts are notably different in style from Western circuses, being more dance-oriented, holding more narrative and focused on Eastern European culture.

The Novodevichy Convent was founded in 1524 to celebrate the taking of Smolensk from Lithuania. Noblewomen would retire here to take the veil. Peter the Great had his half-sister and first wife confined in the convent, and they’re still here – entombed. Students can admire 16th century frescoes in Smolensk Cathedral, and visit Chekov’s grave in the cemetery.

This enormous shopping emporium was built in 1889-93. Pronounced ‘goom’, the initials are short for Gosudarstvenny Universalny Magazin, or State Department Store. The mall is a maze of passages, bridges and balconies and houses a mix of Russian and Western shops, including big name brands.

This historic Moscow street has existed since at least the 15th century. Originally part of an important trade route, it was home to a large number of craftsmen. In the 19th and early 20th centuries it was a prestigious address where petty nobility, artists, and academics lived. In the Soviet period, it was the home of many high-ranking government officials.